Spurs' Mason probable for Celtics game

Roger Mason Jr. showed off his quickness and start-stop agility Wednesday to convince Spurs coaches his strained left hamstring had healed enough to allow him to suit up against the Boston Celtics on Thursday.

The first player on the court before Spurs practice began Wednesday afternoon had something to prove to his coaches.

After missing his first game since joining the Spurs last season, Roger Mason Jr. showed off his quickness and ability to stop and start on a left hamstring that was strained in the victory in Houston last Friday.

Mason made it through the full practice without difficulty and is listed as probable for tonight's game against the Boston Celtics at the AT&T Center.

"It will be good (to have him back) because he was starting to play well," Spurs point guard Tony Parker said. "He was starting to get his rhythm and shooting the ball well. He was passing well, too, and getting into his groove. It was unlucky he got hurt, but it was not too bad, and hopefully, he can get back to the way he was playing."

Mason struggled with his 3-point shot through the first 10 games of the season, making only six of his first 29 attempts. In the four games he played before missing Sunday's game against Philadelphia, he made 9 of 17 3-pointers and also had 17 assists.

Ouch-choo: Backup point guard George Hill isn't sure when the stitches in the tip of his nose will be removed, but he is ready for the cut he incurred when Houston guard Kyle Lowry stuck his finger in Hill's nose in Friday's game to heal fully.

"It hurts when I sneeze or blow my nose," Hill said.

Getting the nose stitched up after making two big free throws with 28 seconds left in that game was nothing compared to the pain Hill volunteered for during the summer.

"It didn't hurt near as much as getting a tattoo on my ribcage," he said.

Motivational master: Parker spent most of the morning in familiar surroundings, giving a talk to a packed house at the AT&T Center as a featured speaker at a motivational seminar that also advertised Gen. Colin Powell and former President George W. Bush as speakers.

Parker spoke on team building and leadership.

"That was fun, a different experience," he said. "It was an honor for me to be in that type of situation with all those very intelligent people. You see all those big names, and then you see: Tony Parker."